Calculating machine



Sept. 9 1924. 1,508,257

0. P. SCHUMAN CALCULATING MACHINE Filed Nov. 8, 1919 3 SheetsSheet l Sept. 9, 1924.

O. P. SCHUMAN CALCULATING MACHINE Filed Nov. 8, 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 5 W" llllllllllllllllllllll Spt. 9, 1924. 1,508,257

-' O. P. SCHUMAN CALCULATING MACHINE Filed Nov. 8. 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 u l. W///////A Patented Sept. 9, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OTTC P. SCHUMAN, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE RAPID CALCULATOR COMPANY, A PARTNERSHIP COMPOSED OF RICHARD C. ROSENTHAL AND OTTO P. SCHUMAN, BOTH 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CALCULATING MACHINE.

Application .flled November 8, 1919. Serial No. 388,595.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OT O P. SoHUMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented Improvements in Calculating Machines, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in calculating machines, and more particularly to that class of machines comprising a movable carriage bearing the registering elements of the mechanism, which carriage is adapted to be shifted laterally of the setting mechanism to bring the registering elements into positions successively engaging the various elements of the setting mechanism.

The object of my invention is to provide means whereby the carriage may be shifted successively and without use of undue care and effort to the exact positions in which the fixed elements of the setting mechanism will engage the different elements of the registering mechanism borne by the carriage.

In the attached drawings Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of the entire machine;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the base of the machine with the carriage removed and with the carriage body indicated in broken lines; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the base, the body of the carriage being indicated in broken lines; p

FigAisavertical section of the base taken on the line cc, Fig. 5. V

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the base taken on the line a-a, Fig. 7, showing details of the shifting mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the base taken on the line bb, Fig. 7.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the base taken on the 1ine cc, Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a detached perspective view showing the details of the construction of the retaining fork.

With reference to the drawings, the calculator comprises a base or pedestal 1, a main housing 2, secured to the base, and a carriage 3, mounted upon the base and adapted to slide longitudinally thereon. The carriage 3 comprises a body 3, and housing 3, upon and within which is mounted the mechanism which registers the calculated -results, this registering mechanism be ng actuated by setting mechanism mounted on the housing I 2. The elements of the two mechanisms are made to coincide by the interaction with a serles of slots 5, in the base, of a spur 4 upon a shifting lever 4:, carried by the carriage. The lever 4 is pivotally mounted, at 4, upon the carriage body, and pressure exerted downward y-upon the outer extremity 4, raises the spur away from engagement with the slots, and permits the carriage to be shifted longitudinally either to right or left.

It becomes necessary in manipulating the machine for certain purposes, to bring the elements of the registering mechanism into successive engagement with certain of the elements of the setting mechanism. This entails shifting the carriage one step at a time to the right or left as the case may be, and it has been found extremely diflicult to move the carriage swiftly and at the same time with the precision necessary for engaging the spur 4" accurately in the successive slots. Much time is consequently lost in this operation.

I have discovered means whereby the carriage may be shifted accurately and with facility from one position to another without exercise of undue care and without distraction of the operators attention from the particular computation in hand.

Mounted within the base 1 is a plate 6,

said plate having an apertured lug 6 at each side of the nether surface'thereof through which passes a rod 7, secured at each end to the said base, the plate 6 being free to oscillate upon the rod 7, and also to reciprocate longitudinally thereon, both within limits which will shortly be described. Secured to the plate 6 upon the upper surface thereof is a bar 8, which extends into an elongated aperture 1 in the upper face of the base 1, and which is slotted to correspond with the series of slots 5 in the base, the said bar 8 lying adjacent the slotted portion of the base in such position that the slots 8 in the bar normally form a continuation in a lower plane of the slots 5 in the base. The relative positions of the two sets of slots are most clearly illustrated in the plan view of Fig. 2 and in the vertical section of Fig. 7

Mounted within the casing 1 and lying beneath the front portion of the plate 6,

is a plate 9, said latterplate having a lug 9 at each side thereof extending backwardly, said lugs being apertured to receive the rod 7, which extends therethrough. An extension 9 of the plate 9, extends through a slot 1 in front 0 the base,.and a stirrup shaped operating handle 9 is secured to the said extension 9 upon the outside of the base. The extension 9 passing through the slot 1",.prevents oscillation of the plate 9 upon the rod 7, but is sufiiciently narrow in proportion to the length of the extension, 1", to permit longitudinal movement of the said slot therein, and in this manner the plate is adapted to reciprocatory movement upon the rod 7. 7

Upon the under side of the plate 6 is a cam 10, which extends downwardly into a slot 9, in the plate 9, while an arm 6" extends r'earwardly from the said plate 6, and normally lies. between the forks 11' of the retainer 11. pivotally mounted upon a pin 12, secured to the basel. The normal po'sition of the arm 6 is retained by a stirrup lever 13 pivotally mounted at its extremities upon the pin 12 and passing underneath the arm '6". Springs 13", suspended from a bracket 14 mounted upon the base 1, pass through apertures 1 in the said base and attach to said lever at each side thereof, whereby the lever is made to exert a pressure'upwardly upon the underside of the arm 6*, to hold the latter in the saidnormal position. A spring 15, suspended from a bracket 16, mounted upon the base 1, passes through an aperture 1 in the said base and attaches to the retainer 11. .The spring 15 while permitting oscillatory movement of the retainer upon the pin 12, exerts an upward pullupon the retainer and tends to hold the same in normal position, wherein the forks 11 lie upon either side of the arm 6 upon the plate 6. The normal position of the retainer 11, and of the arm 6 is most clearly shown in Fig. 7, and it is clear that in this position any reciprocatory movement of the plate 6 longitudinally upon the rod 7, is prevented.

Extending downwardly from the underside of the plate 6, are two pins 6, said pins being adapted. to engage the inner edges of two levers17, pivotally supported within the base 1. A spring 17 extends between the two levers 17 and tends to hold them together. while pins 17, carried by the base-1, hold the levers in the normal, substantially parallel positionshown in Fig. 5.

Let us now suppose that the plate, 9, is moved laterally to the limit of its travel and allowed to return to its normal position. The first efi'ect of the lateral movement of the plate 9 will be to rotate the plate 6 upon the rod 7, this rotation being caused by the interaction of the plate 9 with the cam 10, and the plate 6 being held from lateral occupying one of the slots 8 in the'bar 8.

As the spur 4 clears the slots 5, the arm 6 passes clear of the forks 11 of the retainer 11, and the plate 6 is thereby permitted to move laterally along the rod 7. The relative positions of the parts as just described, are shown in Fig. 4. The lateral movement of the plate 6, which now occurs, is in the present instance obtained by the interaction of the plate 9 and cam 10, the oscillation of the plate 6 being stopped by contact with the top of the base before the cam has entirely left the aperture 9, and the cam thus remaining continuously in operative tained'by interaction of one of the lugs 9" located intermediate the lugs 6 upon the rod 7, and the'sleeves 18, also carried by the rod 7, and interposed between the said lug 9 and the lugs 6. The sleeves 18 are of such length as to permit movement of.

plate 9 independent of the plate 6 of suflicient extent to enable the said plate 9, by acting upon the cam 10 to rotate the plate 6 until the arm 6 is clear of the forks 11, but immediately following the clearance of the said arm, the lug 9 through the intermediate sleeve 18 will bear against one or other of the lugs 6, and cause the plate 6 to move laterally with the plate 9, the arm 6" passing underneath one or other of the forks 11. depending upon the direction of the motion. Whether to the right or to the left, this lateral movement of the plate 6 is always just suflicient to move the lever 4. and consequently the carriage to which the "lever is attached. until the spur 4. lies directly over the slot, 5, adjacent to the slot previously occupied, and just vacated thereby.v Thus movement of the plate 9 either to the right or left extreme position thereof will effect the shifting of the carriage one step or position.

When the plate 6 has traveled the extreme end of its path,the arm 6", has passed completely under the fork 11", and lies clear of the outer edge thereof. At this point the stirrup lever 13 comes into play, for as soon as the plate 9 is released the said lever '13 forces the arm 6 upwardly along the outer side surface of one of the retainer forks 11, and at the same time this rotation of the plate 6 causes the depression of the slotted bar 8, and the deposit thereby of the amass? spur 4' of the lever 4 in the slot 5, above which it was moved by the lateral motion of the plate 6 as previously described.

As the arm 6? approaches its normal elevation, the spring 17 comes into play and through the medium of one or other of the lovers 17, and of the corresponding pin 6, upon the plate 6, tends to return the said plate 6 to the normal intermediate position shown in Fig. 5. The outer sides of the forks 11 of the retainer 11, curve upward- 1y, as clearly shown in Fig. 8, and there develops between these curved sides and the arm 6" a cam action which depresses the retainer 11 against the tension of the spring 15, which supports it, and permits the late to return to the said normal position w erein the arm 6 lies between the forks 11, the spring 15 returning the retainer 11 to normal elevated position as soon as the arm 6" has passed beneath the fork.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the mere manipulation of the plate 9 to the full extent of its travel to right or left, transmits to the carriage through the plate 6, an exact and positive movement in the chosen direction which advances the said carriage accurately from one position to the next succeeding position, and that this shifting of the carria e is accomplished with the least possible de ay and distraction of the operators attention.

For the purposes of this application, reciprocation and oscillation are to be understood as defining two separate and distinct kinds of motion, oscillation requiring a relatively fixed pivot passing through the body and about which the body moves, and reciprocation defining a back and forth motion in which there occurs translation of all parts of the body in the same general direction at the same time.

I claim:

1. In a calculating machine the combination with a base structure, of a carriage movably mounted and having a plurality oflocked positions on the base structure, and manually operated mechanism for shiftmg the carriage on the base including an actuating member relatively fixed with respect to the carria e and adapted by movement in a single straight line to shift the carriage from one locked position to another in each direction. I

2. In a calculating machine the combination with a base structure, of a carriage movably mounted and 'havinga plurality of locked positions on the base structure, and manually operated mechanism for shifting the carriage on the base including an actuating member mounted in the base adapted by movement in a single straight line to shift the carriage progressively from one locked position to another in each direction.

3. In a calculating machine the combination with a base structure, of a carria e movably mounted and having a plura ity of locked positions on the base structure, manually operated means for shiftin the carriage on the base includin a relatively fixed actuating member adapte by movement in a single straight line parallel to the direction of movement of the carriage to shift the latter from one locked position to another, and transmission elements operatively connectingthe actuating member with the carriage.

4. In a calculating machine the combination with a movable carriage, of a carriage engaging member normally disengaged from the carriage and having two distinct movements respectively for engagin and shifting the carriage, and an actuating member operatively associated with said engaging member and adapted by simple movement in a single straight line to give the engaging member successively the movements first to engage and then to shift the carriage.

5. In a calculating machine, the combination with a movable carriage, of a carriage engaging member normally removed from the carriage, and mechanism for communicating to said member one motion for engaging and disengaging said carriage, and another motion for shifting said carriage.

6. In a calculating machine, the combination with a movable carriage, of a carriage engaging member normally removed from the carriage, and mechanism for communicating to said member vertical motion for engaging and disengaging said carriage, and horizontal motion for'shifting said carriage.

7. In a calculating machine, the combination with a movable carriage, of a carriageengaging member normally removed from the carriage, and manually operated mechanism for bringing said member into engagement with the carriage and for moving said member to shift the carriage.

8. In a calculating machine, the combination with a supporting frame, of a carria e mounted and movable laterally upon said frame, manually operated mechanism for shifting said carriage, and a member mounted on the frame and movable laterally of said carriage for actuating said mechanism.

9. In a calculatingmachne, the combination with a supporting structure, of a carriage mounted and movable thereon, a shaft mounted in said structure, an element pivotally mountedupon and movable longitudinally of said shaft, and means for oscillating said element upon the shaft to bring itinto engagement with the carriage and for shifting said element longitudinally of the shaft to move the carria e on the said structure.

10. In a calculating machine, the combination with a movable carriage, of mechanism for shifting said carriage, said mechanism comprising a reciprocatory actuating member, a transmitting member both reciprocatory and oscillatory, and means whereb reciprocation of said actuating member e fects alternate osc'llation and translation of said transmitting member.

11. In a calculatin machine, the combination with a movab e carriage, of mechanism for shifting said carriage, said mechanism comprising a reciprocatory actuatlng member, an intermediate member both reciprocatory and oscillatory, a carriage engaging member carried by sald mtermediate member, and means whereby reciprocation of said actuating member effects movement of said engaging member in a substantially rectangular path.

12. In a calculatin machine, the combination with a movab e carriage, of mechanism for shifting said carriage, said mechanism comprising a reciprocatory actuating member, an intermediate member both r eciprocatory and oscillatory, a cam upon said intermediate member in engagement with said actuating member, means for transmitting the translatory motion of the actuating member to the intermediate member, and a retainer normally preventing translation of said intermediate member while leaving said member free to oscillate, said retainer being adapted to release the intermediate member after the latter has been oscillated.

.13. In a calculatin machine, the combination with a movable carriage, of mechanism for moving said carriage, said mechanism comprising a reciprocatory actuating member, an intermediate member both reciprocatory and oscillatory, a carriage engaging member carried by said intermediate member, a cam upon said intermediate member extending through an aperture in said actuating member, means whereby translation of the actuating member effects translation of the intermediate member, a spring opposing oscillation of the intermediate member, a second spring opposing translation of said intermediate member, and a retainer preventing translation of the intermediate member until the said member has first been oscillated.

14. In a calculating machine, a base portion, a carriage movably mounted thereon, an actuating member slidable in said base portion, a shaft mounted in said base portion, an intermediate member movable upon said shaft and having carriage-engaging means, a cam carried by said intermediate member adapted to be engaged by said actuating member whereby said intermediate member is rocked upon the shaft to bring the carriage-engaging means into engagement with the carriage, means whereby the lateral motion of said actuating member is transmitted to the intermediate member, an

arm projecting from said intermediate member, and a retaining member. carried by the base portion and 'ada ted to engage said arm to prevent latera movement of said rocking member until the said member has been oscillated sufliciently to bring the carsai carriage.

15. In a calculating machine, the combination with a supporting structure, of a carriage mounted and movable thereon, a shaft mounted in said structure, an element pivotally mounted upon and movable longitudinally of said shaft, and a member operatively associated with the element and having a definite limited movement whereby the said element is first oscillated upon the shaft to bring it into engagement with the carriage and is thereafter shifted longitudinally of the shaft to shift the carriage to a new position upon the said structure.

16. In a calculating machine, the combination with a supporting structure, of a carriage'mounted andmovable thereon, a shaft mounted in said structure, an element pivotally mounted upon and movable longitudinally of said shaft, and a reci rocatory ally operated mechanism for shifting the carriage on the base, including an actuatin member independent of the carriage an adapted to actuate said mechanism to shift the carriage in both directions.

18. In a calculating machine the combination with a base structure, of a carriage movably mounted in the base, and manually operated mechanism for shifting the carriage on the base, including an actuating member mounted on the base and adapted to actuate said mechanism to shift the carriage in both directions.

19. In a calculating machine the combination with a base structure, of a carriage movably mounted and having a plurality of locked positions on the base, a locking member carried by the carriage and adapted to engage the base to maintain the carriage in the respective locked positions, and manually operated mechanism independent of the carriage for disengaging the.locking member and for shifting the carriage from one position to another including an actuating element adapted to actuate said mechanism to shift the carriage in both directions.

20. In a calculating machine the combinw ria e-en a in means into en a ementwith g g g g g g tion with a base structure, of a carriage riage adapted to disengage the locking memmovably mounted and having a plurality of her and to shift the carriage on the base and locked positions on the base, a locking memincluding an actuating member having limit- 1 her on the carriage adapted to engage the ed movement in the base whereby the carriage 5 base in maintaining the carriage in the remay be shifted accurately from one locked spective locked positions, and manually op-' position to the next in both directions. erated mechanism independent of the car- OTTO P. SOHUMAN. 

